CPM to back Congress in five states

In a significant political move, the Politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) at its recently concluded meeting in Kolkata has decided to support the Congess in five states where elections are due in November this year.

The Congress had taditionally been an arch rival of the Marxists for decades. But in the present political scenario the Leftists are considering the Congress as a lesser evil than the Bharatiya Janata Party - the party that now rules India.

The stunning stand by the Communists has not only surprised political circles but evoked protests from constituents of the Left Front in Bengal.

But the Communists are unfazed by such criticism and senior leaders of the party like Jyoti Basu and H.S. Surjeet explained that the BJP is a "bigger threat to India's secular credentials" and should be ousted from power at any cost.

But the leaders clarified that such support would be given to Congress candidates only in seats where the existence of left democratic and secular forces are negligible.

While analysing the scenario in the five states where elections are to be held, the CPI(M) Politburo found that the Congress is in the saddle in four out of five states namely, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pardesh and Chhattisgarh.

The only other state where the Congress is not in power is the tiny North Eastern state of Mizoram that will also go to polls in November along with these four states.